Mom Tries to Hide Heroin on Child: Prosecutor

OAK LAWN, IL -- An Oak Forest woman was arrested after she tried to hide a bag of heroin from police by clutching it against her baby, prosecutors said.

Kristen Krueger, 27, was arrested in Oak Lawn Tuesday night and was charged with possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor child endangerment. Police pulled Krueger over for a traffic stop, where officers also found 11 packages of batteries.

The prosecutor said Krueger admitted to stealing the batteries. Krueger’s grandfather was called to the scene to come pick up Krueger’s 1-year-old child. As she passed the child over to the grandfather, police said she pulled a bag of heroin out of her bra and clutched it against her child.

The assistant public defender told the judge that Krueger was planning to move to Florida. Krueger did have any money for bail.

"The oxymoron of that is where she gets the money to buy heroin, not saying that she’s guilty of anything” Cook County Judge Peter Felice said. “I’m concerned about the little child.”

Krueger said in court she was planning to seek drug treatment in Florida and was going to give the child to her mother.

“I can get her treatment in Cook County Jail,” Felice said.

The judge released Krueger on a $25,000 I-bond and ordered weekly drug testing. Krueger is due back in court Sept. 2 in Bridgeview.